Bulgaria

Specific support for Franco-Bulgarian relations from CMS

In Bulgaria, existing goodwill towards France has been bolstered by extensive political contact and the support given by France when Bulgaria applied to join both the European Union and NATO.

In ten years, trade between France and Bulgaria has increased by a factor of three, boosted by Bulgaria's 2006 entry into the European Union. French investment in Bulgaria has withstood the recession, with France being the 4th largest source of foreign investment in 2009.

We support clients with their investments on the Bulgarian market, taking advantage of our local presence in Paris and Sofia. Our personnel are experienced, and used to working together under the client's single point of contact. Through Dimitar Hadjiveltchev in France, and Jivko Sedarlski in Bulgaria, they have extensive knowledge of the French and Bulgarian markets, including the economic, cultural and legal climates.

The Sofia office (CMS RRH) was opened with the aim of responding to demand from the business world in Bulgaria.

Why choose CMS for your Franco-Bulgarian transactions?

The presence of French-speaking Bulgarian lawyers within our Paris and Sofia teams ensures smooth communication as well as an understanding of the cross-border context.
The training and education given to our personnel is an opportunity for them to extend their legal and tax knowledge and to develop a strong team spirit.
This approach means that in supporting you in your cross-border transactions, we can offer specific services with significant added value.

Our areas of practice

Through CMS's Franco-Bulgarian group, we can offer you a complete service including detailed legal advice in the following areas:

• company law;
• commercial law;
• national and international tax law;
• energy law;
• property law;
• law of banking and finance;
• mergers and acquisitions;
• law of public contracts;
• competition law;
• intellectual property law.

Our clients

We support national and international organisations, especially in the following sectors:

• banking and finance;
• energy;
• the environment;
• public contracts;
• industry (machinery, food, textiles etc.);
• property;
• construction and public works.

Our work:

Tax:

• Assisting the Bulgarian subsidiary of a European group with a tax inspection involving a reassessment of taxable profits linked to the transfer pricing policy with the parent company;
• Advising a Bulgarian consortium on tax matters (optimal structure and location) and assisting it with the application procedure for European funds;
• Assisting a European group with a tax inspection relating to a cost sharing contract;
• Providing legal and tax support to multinational groups in relation to investments in renewable energy (wind power, solar power, hydroelectric plants);
• Assisting a German group with the tax implications of restructuring its Bulgarian activities.

Company and finance law:

• Supporting a European group on the purchase of a mobile communications operator;
• Supporting an Austrian bank in relation to financing of shopping centres.
• Assisting a Netherlands group with investments in Bulgaria;
• Assisting an international group opening a branch in Bulgaria.

Public law and public contracts

• Supporting a group in a tendering process relating to public contracts for road infrastructure;
• Support and assistance, including obtaining competition authority permission, with regard to a group restructure concerning the construction company involved in one of Bulgaria's largest hydroelectric power plant projects.

Arbitration and assistance with market entry

• International arbitrations;
• Support for a company in the food industry upon its entry into the Bulgarian market;
• Support for a company dealing in household articles, DIY and gardening upon its entry into the Bulgarian market.